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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Army-Navy store owner gives up

Army and Navy Outdoor owner Phil Motl poses next to a expansive collection of more than 10,000 pins from various divisions of the United States military that are for sale in the store. After investing thousands of dollars into the collection, he hasn't yet found a place for the pins for when the store closes in the coming months.

 (Jake Parrish / Coeur d'Alene Press)
Army and Navy Outdoor owner Phil Motl poses next to a expansive collection of more than 10,000 pins from various divisions of the United States military that are for sale in the store. After investing thousands of dollars into the collection, he hasn't yet found a place for the pins for when the store closes in the coming months. (Jake Parrish / Coeur d'Alene Press)

It was a battle that Phil's Army and Navy Outdoor store could no longer withstand. The military surplus and outdoor store, which has operated in Coeur d'Alene since 1982, is closing. "The Internet killed me," said Phil Motl, who has owned the store since 2006. "People would try on boots here or get measured, then they'd go home and order them on the Internet so they don't have to pay sales tax." The store at 1620 N. Government Way in Coeur d'Alene is holding a going-out-of-business sale, offering sales of up to 60 percent off through an undetermined date this winter/Brian Walker, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: Did you ever shop at the Motl's Army and Navy Outdoor store?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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